Berhalter Getting To Work

Gregg Berhalter has brought some of his former home with him to Columbus.

Seated behind a table inside the Upper 90 club overlooking the field at Crew Stadium, Berhalter
addressed the local media for the first time since being named the Crew’s coach six days ago. As he
did, a slow-working sun began melting the snow that had fallen overnight and covered the playing
surface.

After having lived in Stockholm for the last two years or so, it was home sweet home for
Berhalter.

“I actually thought I was escaping the cold by coming here,” he said with a laugh.

When Berhalter was announced as the Crew’s coach and first-ever sporting director, he was in
Barcelona studying the city’s famous club after having been fired from Sweden’s Hammarby in late
July. After a return trip to Stockholm to gather some things, he flew to Columbus during the
weekend and was publicly introduced today – both at the press conference and via billboards across
the city.

The reaction to his arrival has been surprising, he said.

“I would say the response from the whole community has been amazing,” he said. “It’s more than I
deserve, actually. I’m just a guy here who’s trying to help the club and do the best possible job
that I can. The vision I had of Columbus, the idea I had in my mind what that it was a club about
community, about togetherness. I’ve seen that in my short time here already. That’s something
special.”

Berhalter was flanked by Crew investor-operator Anthony Precourt on his right and team president
Mark McCullers on his left as both men praised their new hire.

Precourt said Berhalter emerged as the club’s top candidate for the job after they ran all their
potential candidates through a wish list of more than 25 criteria ranging from leadership to
experience to personality, “and across the board Gregg scored the highest. I’m just thrilled to
death that we have our guy.”

Berhalter’s immediate task is to assess the roster before the Nov. 26 deadline. Three players –
Dominic Oduro, Andy Gruenebaum and Josh Williams – all enter the offseason out of contract, and all
three of them have their faces on banners hanging at Crew Stadium. McCullers said Berhalter has
been handling the ongoing negotiations with the trio and that he feels each will return to the Crew
next season.

In addition, Berhalter said he will be hiring a coaching staff and making a number of additions
on the scouting side as well. Berhalter said he has a meeting with assistant coach Mike Lapper
scheduled for Thursday to discuss his future with the club.

“What we’re trying to do is put together a strong staff and we’re going to be interviewing a
bunch of people but he’s certainly one of the people that I’m considering,” he said.

And as he goes about his business of getting acclimated to the Crew and the roster rules of
Major League Soccer, his boss thinks bright things are ahead.

“I just think that we’ve got a guy that’s ready to take the Crew to the next level,” Precourt
said. “It’s a new era for the Columbus Crew.”

Check Dispatch.com later this evening for much more from today’s press conference.